NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION September 1, 2021 10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION September 1, 2021 ▪ 10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Microsoft Teams

Centering equity and lifting community voices to build a path for transformative change in our early care and education system.

AGENDA

1. 10:30

Welcome and Introductions ▪ Theme for 2021-22

Ernesto Saldaña, Chair

2. 10:40

Becoming Acquainted Ernesto Saldaña, Chair

3. 11:00

Brief History and Role of the Child Care Planning Committee ▪ As mandated by Legislation and California Education Code ▪ In relationship with the Office for the Advancement of Early

Care and Education ▪ In relationship with the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and

Development and the Department of Public Health ▪ Membership Roles

Michele Sartell, Staff

4. 11:15

Goals and Priorities for 2021-22, Structuring the Work ▪ Strategic Plan Implementation ▪ Needs Assessment 2022 ▪ Overview of Work Groups

Ariana Oliva, Vice Chair

5. 11:25

Aligning Our Goals: Professional, Organizational and Planning Committee ▪ What’s in it for me? What’s in it for my organization? ▪ What knowledge and skills do I bring to the table?

Ariana Oliva, Vice Chair

6. 11:40

Wrap-up and Call to Adjourn Ernesto Saldaña, Chair

VISION STATEMENT Children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and

succeed in life.

MISSION STATEMENT Lead, build and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the

children and families of Los Angeles County.

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Updated – July 2021

Fact Sheet

The Child Care Planning Committee shares a unified vision and mission with the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development and the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education. Vision Statement – Children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life. Mission Statement – Lead, build and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the children and families of Los Angeles County.

History In 1991 the Board of Supervisors authorized the convening of the Los Angeles County Child Care and Development Block Grant Planning Council in response to AB 2141 (Chapter 87; Approved July 31, 1991), which created local child care and development planning councils (LPCs) in each county. The Council’s initial purpose was to establish priorities for the allocation of federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds. AB 2141 also authorized the LPCs to determine local child care needs, and to prepare a Countywide plan for child care and development. In July 1992, the Board of Supervisors delegated the responsibility for countywide child care planning to the Council. In response to this broader charge, the Council changed its name to the Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee) in January of 1993. AB 1542 (Chapter 270; Approved: August 11, 1997) heralded the advent of welfare reform in California. While creating and defining California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), the legislation also strengthened and broadened the role of the local planning councils.

Mandates of AB 1542 ▪ Establish a local planning council.

▪ Identify priorities for State-funded early care and education services.

▪ Conduct a countywide needs assessment at least every five years.

▪ Conduct periodic review of early care and education programs funded by the California Department of Education (CDE) and California Department of Social Services (CDSS) related to meeting priorities.

▪ Collaborate with stakeholder groups to meet local needs.

▪ Develop a comprehensive countywide plan for early care and education services.

▪ Coordinate part-day Head Start and State Preschool programs with full-day services.

Child Care Planning Committee Fact Sheet Updated: July 2021

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Planning Committee Membership There are 50 members of the Planning Committee, 10 from each of the required categories stipulated in AB 1542. Each of the five County Board of Supervisors appoints one member from any one of the categories to represent his/her district. Each member may serve up to two three-year consecutive terms. A Chair and Vice Chair are elected to serve consecutive two-year terms. The five membership categories are as follows: Parent Consumers1 (or guardians) who are using or have used early care and education services for their children within the past three years. Early Educators, representing both center-based and family child care homes. Community Representatives from organizations or programs that advocate for early care and education services, provide funds for the services, or serve populations who benefit from the services, but do not contract with CDE or CDSS to provide early care and education services. Public Agency Representatives from city, County, or local education agencies. Discretionary Members who may represent any of the above categories or may represent another type of stakeholder and include Board of Supervisor appointees.

Collaboration with Local Stakeholders The Planning Committee works collaboratively with local stakeholder groups: Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development First 5 LA Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles Quality Start Los Angeles Child360 Advancement Project California Partnerships for Education, Articulation & Coordination through Higher Education (PEACH) Perinatal and Early Childhood Home Visitation Consortium Los Angeles County Office of Education And more Staffing and Meeting Schedule The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, within the Department of Public Health, supports the work of the Planning Committee. Within this department of County government, the Planning Committee is positioned to contribute to the overall well-being of children, families and communities throughout Los Angeles County. The Planning Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month, except July and August, from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at various sites throughout the County. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Planning Committee meets virtually using the Microsoft Teams platform. The public is welcome to attend all Planning Committee meetings and to participate in its Work Groups. Please contact the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education at (213) 639-6202 to verify the location of the meetings or visit the website at https://childcare.lacounty.gov/.

1 A parent consumer, in addition to the birth or adoptive parent, may include a relative caregiver, legal guardian or foster parent.


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Major Accomplishments – 2000-21 ▪ Co-convened with the Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) Workforce Committee the Workforce

Pathways LA Joint Committee on Workforce Systems Improvement to conduct an early care and education professional development landscape analysis for Los Angeles County; released Learning from Today, Preparing for Tomorrow: An Early Care and Education Professional Development Landscape Analysis for Los Angeles County at a public forum on June 28, 2021.

▪ Awarded Workforce Pathways LA stipends to over 1,200 early educators for either 1) completing 21 hours of professional development, 2) completing at least one college course, 3) obtaining a new Child Development Permit, or 4) earning a college degree. (2021)

▪ Convened the Task Force on Re-envisioning Early Care and Education During COVID-19

comprised of Planning Committee members, alternates, and early educators; the task force developed Tips for Best Practices in Early Care and Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Centers and Family Child Care Homes that were integrated into the website, “Child Care Heroes: LA County COVID-19 Information and Resources’ (see https://childcareheroes.org/). (2020)

▪ Prepared, in partnership with the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development, A

Unified Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education – 2020-2025, with four focus strategic areas: 1) access to early care and education, 2) early care and education quality, 3) early care and education workforce supports, and 4) family and community engagement in early care and education issues. (2020)

▪ Participated in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that essential workers and

high-risk populations had access to early care and education services and the programs that serve them had the necessary resources to keep children, families and staff safe and healthy. (2020-21)

▪ Developed geographic priorities for allocation of new early care and education subsidy funds. (2000-2021)

▪ Distributed approximately $48.4 million in stipends to qualified early educators through the

Investing in Early Educators Stipend Program (AB 212), which promotes higher levels of education. (2002-2020)

▪ Contributed to the Preschool Development Grant Needs Assessment led by the American

Institutes for Research (AIR) by conducting seven focus group; four of which were with parents and three with center-based programs. (2019.

▪ Assessed county early care and education supply and demand (2000, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2013

and 2016); Launched the 2016 needs assessment at a public event on March 20, 2017. ▪ Developed countywide Centralized Eligibility List (LACEL) for families seeking subsidized

early care and education services. (2003-2011) ▪ Facilitated transfer of nearly $16 million among CDE-contractors, which allowed the funding

to be used in Los Angeles County since 2009. ▪ Developed a Model Compensation Scale for center-based child development staff and for

Program Directors. (2004-2009)


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▪ Reviewed the amount of under-utilized funding and the underlying causes of under-earned child development contracts in Los Angeles County. (2007-08)

▪ Conducted an economic impact study of child care in Los Angeles County. (2007-08)

Contact Information The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education provides staff support to the Planning Committee. Address Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education Department of Public Health County of Los Angeles

600 South Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 800 Los Angeles, California 90005

Contact Michele P. Sartell Child Care Planning Coordinator

Telephone (213) 639-6239 I Telephone Mobile (323) 594-1244 I Mobile Fax (213) 639-1034 I Facsimile E-mail [email protected] I E-mail Website https://childcare.lacounty.gov/


Revised – July 26, 2021

OVERVIEW

The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE) envisions a high-quality early care and education system accessible to all families that nurtures children’s healthy growth and early learning, fosters protective factors in families, and strengthens communities. Programs and activities include: Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee), Los Angeles County’s Local Child Care and Development Planning Council, engages parents/consumers, early educators, community and public agencies, institutions of higher education, resource and referral agencies and other community stakeholders in collaborative planning efforts to improve the overall early care and education infrastructure of Los Angeles County, including the quality and continuity, affordability, and accessibility of services for all families. Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development (Roundtable) builds and strengthens early care and education by providing recommendations on policy, systems, and infrastructure to the Board of Supervisors. Joint Committee on Legislation is a combined committee of the Planning Committee and Roundtable that identifies and tracks bills each legislative session, prepares analyses, and makes recommendations to the Department of Public Health Government Affairs, the Chief Executive Office Legislative Affairs & Intergovernmental Relations, and the Board of Supervisors. Workforce Pathways LA increases the qualifications of early educators working in child development centers and family child care homes in which most of the children are subsidized by the California Departments of Education and Social Services. County Employee Child Care and Development Centers receive technical assistance and advisement from the OAECE. In addition, the OAECE manages the contract for the Van Nuys Child Development Center. Systems Strengthening is the role the OAECE undertakes when it represents County interests and leadership regarding the advancement of early care and education on various countywide initiatives. Examples include participating on the Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) Leadership Council, supporting the Comprehensive Financial Landscape Analysis led by the Office of Child Protection, responding to Board motions, and leading the COVID-19 response for earl y care and education. For more information on the work of the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, located within the Health Promotion Bureau of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and on behalf of the Roundtable and Planning Committee, call (213) 639-6202 or visit our website at https://childcare.lacounty.gov/.


Updated – August 2020

CHILD CARE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND POLICY ROUNDTABLE FOR CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT

Overview

Child Care Planning Committee Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development Vision Children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life. Mission Lead, build and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the children and families of Los

Angeles County.

Enabling Authority State Legislation; reports to the California Department of Education/Early Learning and Support Division (CDE/ELCD)

County Ordinance

Established 1991 in response to legislation, strengthened by welfare reform legislation in 1997

By the Board of Supervisors in 2000 based on recommendation of the Child Care Futures Committee

Number of Members 50 25

Membership Composition

20% per category per California Education Code: ▪ Parents/consumers ▪ Early educators ▪ Public Agencies ▪ Community Agencies ▪ Discretionary

Per Los Angeles County Ordinance Organizational representatives: ▪ Child Care Planning Committee ▪ County departments – Chief Executive Office, Children &

Family Services, County Office of Education, Mental Health, Office of Education Parks & Recreation, Probation, Public Health, Public Social Services

▪ Los Angeles Unified School District ▪ Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles ▪ Southern CA Association for the Education of Young

Children ▪ First 5 LA ▪ Child360 Each Supervisor nominates one from expert categories: ▪ Academia ▪ Private business sector ▪ Philanthropy ▪ Community or legal advocacy ▪ Child care Each Supervisor nominates on from expert categories: ▪ Five members nominated by each member of the Board

from among the following categories: faith-based center operator, employer-supported center operator, family child care providers, private or public center operator, child care advocate, parent, demographer, facilities finance expert, economist, labor, CalWORKs participant

Overview of the Child Care Planning Committee and Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development August 2020 ▪ Page 2

Child Care Planning Committee Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development Alternates Each member has an alternate Alternates allowed for organizational representatives only

Board of Supervisor Direct Appointees

1 per Supervisor (Discretionary) 2 per Supervisor, selecting one each from the categories highlighted in yellow

How Appointed 1. Annual recruitment; application process 2. Certification of Membership1 by Planning Committee 3. Certification of Membership by County Superintendent of

Schools 4. Certification of Membership by Board of Supervisors 5. Certification of Membership submitted to the CDE/ELCD

▪ Organizational Representatives submit nominee ▪ Board members nominate one from each of expert

categories ▪ Each nominee submits application to Board Executive

Office ▪ All nominations subject to Board approval

Terms of Service Two consecutive three-year terms Supervisorial Reps – no more than two consecutive 4 year terms Organizational Reps – requires affirmation of status with nominating organization every four years

Current Membership Composition

▪ Advocacy organizations ▪ Community colleges and higher education ▪ ECE centers (private, non-profit inclusive of programs

working primarily with children with special needs, County employees, community colleges, CDE-contracted, Early Head State/Head Start)

▪ Family child care homes ▪ Home visitation Parents/consumers ▪ Labor ▪ Legal ▪ Quality rating and improvement system supports ▪ Child care resource and referral agencies ▪ School district early childhood programs ▪ Supportive services (administrative, parent engagement,

professional development)

▪ Advancement Project ▪ Board of Supervisor Appointees ▪ Bresee Foundation ▪ Child360 ▪ Child Care Planning Committee ▪ Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles ▪ Child Care Resource Center ▪ Commission for Children and Families ▪ County departments (Chief Executive Office, Children &

Family Services, Office of Education, Mental Health, Parks & Recreation, Probation, Public Health, Public Social Services)

▪ First 5 LA ▪ Infant Development Association of Southern California ▪ Los Angeles Unified School District ▪ Southern Chapter – Southern California Association for the

Advancement of Early Care and Education ▪ USC School of Marshall School of Business ▪ USC School of Social Work

1 Certification of Membership is the name of the California Department of Education (CDE) form required for listing all members by the five categories and signed by the Chair of the Planning Committee, County Superintendent of Schools and Board of Supervisors. Upon “approvals”, the form is submitted to the CDE.

Overview of the Child Care Planning Committee and Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development August 2020 ▪ Page 3

Child Care Planning Committee Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development Scope of Work/Mandates Per California Education Code:

▪ Conduct countywide needs assessment every five years, addressing early care and education services for children birth through 12 years of age

▪ Develop countywide plan to meet identified needs ▪ Identify service gaps for subsidized early care and

education services ▪ Facilitate voluntary, temporary transfer of funds

Per Roundtable By-laws: ▪ Develop policy recommendations related to child care and

development based on research, economic forecasts, projected demographic shifts and trends, and federal and state policies, taking into account all forms of child care

▪ Advise and assist County department in developing and implementing strategies to connect clients and/or employee to high quality child care and development services

▪ Develop recommendations for consideration by the Board on County, state and federal legislative and budget issues related to child care and development. Work with community stakeholders to understand the impact of the issues on the supply, quality and demand for services.

▪ Identify strategies to secure and leverage, coordinate, monitor and maximize funding for and access to high quality services

▪ Develop, distribute in electronic format and post on County website annual report summarizing key issues, Roundtable recommendations and Board actions

Examples of Wins ▪ Completed and publicly launched Needs Assessment in partnership with First 5 LA in March 2017

▪ “According to a recent LPI [Learning Policy Institute] report, of 10 counties studied, only four had completed the needs assessments within the past five years, and only Los Angeles and Sacramento had made the data available to the public.”2

▪ Facilitated voluntary, temporary transfer of funds between CDE-contracted agencies to ensure that funding remains in LA County to serve children of income eligible families

▪ Produced community level data documents to illustrate gaps in subsidized services using LPC Local Funding Priorities data

▪ Provided representation on community coalitions and work groups (Help Me Grow-LA, QRIS Architects, Quality Start LA and Los Angeles County Prevention Plan ECE Work Group)

▪ Advocated for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Fund for Children in Foster Care

▪ Informed the development of the Department of Mental Health’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Pilot

▪ Provided input to the Measure H – Homeless Initiative – Child Care

▪ Elevated public policy recommendation to increase the adjustment factor to the reimbursement rate for infants and toddlers served by CDE-contracted programs (2018) and to provide 12 months of continuous eligibility for children receiving early care and education services subsidized by the CDE (2017)

2 Stipek, D. & Colleagues. Getting Down to Facts II Technical Report – Early Care and Education in California. Stanford University: September 2018.

Updated: June 13, 2019

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES I. Standard Operating Procedures

Anything not covered by the following policies and procedures will revert to Robert’s Rules of Order. II. Membership RECRUITMENT OF CHILD CARE PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS The Governance Work Group of the Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee) will conduct recruitment in support of the recommending/appointing bodies, and in compliance with the membership categories defined in the Education Code Sections 8499 - 8499.7. To ensure optimal representation and access to this process, recruitment and outreach will be undertaken no less than three (3) months prior to the selection of members. Recruitment and selection will take into consideration geographic and ethnic representation, and will ensure that there will be at least one (1) member from each of the Service Planning Areas: • Diversity within each category will be a primary consideration in the selection of members.

For example, in the “Child Care Providers” category, every effort will be made to include representatives of programs operated under a variety of auspices (public, non-profit, for-profit, church-related, cooperatives, family child care, resource and referral/alternative payment programs, etc.).

• Appropriate nominating groups will be designated for each of the membership slots. Each

of the five Board of Supervisors will name one member. The Superintendent of the County Office of Education will recruit members through local School District Superintendents.

• Prospective members will be asked to identify any family members serving on the

Planning Committee. In the event that multiple family members are seeking to serve on the Planning Committee, the Governance Work Group will consider the Planning Committee’s commitment to diversity, the skills of each member, and ability of each individual to contribute to the mission of the Planning Committee.

• The Governance Work Group will review the membership applications in consultation with

the Child Care Planning Coordinator and recommend a membership slate to the Planning Committee for action. Any participant of the Governance Work Group who is being considered for membership cannot participate in the discussion of a membership roster or the final recommendations for membership that will be forwarded to the full Planning Committee. This includes alternates who have applied to become members and members whose first three-year term is expiring and wish to extend their membership for another three-year term.

• Nominees will be presented for appointment before September of each year.

Child Care Planning Committee Policies and Procedures Updated: June 13, 2019

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ALTERNATES Each member will name an alternate to serve in his/her absence and will give Planning Committee staff the alternate’s name and contact information (address, telephone number, e-mail address, etc.). Effective FY 2019-20, the alternate must represent the same category as the member. The member is responsible for maintaining communication with the alternate regarding the business of the Planning Committee and for ensuring that the alternate is available to attend meetings. Alternates are encouraged to attend and participate in discussions at all Planning Committee and Work Group meetings. In the absence of the member’s attendance at a meeting, the alternate will be entitled to vote. If a member chooses to identify different persons to serve as his/her alternate for the Planning Committee and for a Work Group, it is the member’s responsibility to provide Planning Committee staff the appropriate information on both alternates. TERMS OF OFFICE Members will serve three-year terms and may serve for up to two (2) consecutive three-year terms without a break. Former members will be eligible for re-nomination after a one (1) year hiatus. An individual’s term of membership may be terminated prior to the end of three (3) years due to: changes in employment or residence; conflict of interest issues; excessive absence (see II. Attendance and Participation); or other changes in status that affect the member’s representation on the Planning Committee. When this occurs, effective FY 2019-20 the individual designated as the member’s alternate will continue to serve in this capacity through the end of the year. Members designated by a Board Office serve at the discretion of the Board members who designated them and may do so beyond the six-year limit. A member designated by a Board office may be replaced under the following conditions: 1) the choice of the Supervisor; 2) the resignation or retirement of the Supervisor from the Board; or 3) the unsatisfactory participation of the designated member in which case the procedure described in Section III is implemented. OFFICERS There are two (2) Officers of the Planning Committee: Chair and Vice Chair. The term of the Chair will be two (2) years. If the Chair’s membership term expires during his or her term as Chair, the membership term will be extended through the completion of term of office. The Chair of the Planning Committee shall: 1) Chair the Planning Committee meetings; 2) help develop the agenda for each meeting; 3) sign all documents related to contracts with the California Department of Education, Board letters related to Planning Committee business, and other correspondence deemed appropriate; 4) serve as the Committee’s representative to the Chief Executive Office on matters related to staff selection: and 5) represent the Planning Committee on the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development. Election of Chair Every two years, or in any year in which the Chair position is vacant, at the time of new member recruitment, the nominating process will begin. Members will be given nomination forms describing the role, responsibilities, and qualifications for Chair. To qualify to be nominated for


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Chair, a member must have served on the Planning Committee for at least one year within the last five (5) years and have been actively participating through attendance at both Planning Committee and Work Group meetings. Members may nominate themselves or other Planning Committee members. Nominations will be open throughout the period of membership recruitment. All nominees will be contacted to ascertain their interest in serving as Chair. The names of all nominees who agree to have their names brought forward will be presented to the full membership prior to the meeting at which the membership slate is approved. The election of the Chair from among those nominated will take place at the same meeting as the approval of the membership slate. Election of Vice Chair The term of office for the Vice Chair will be one (1) year with a one-year renewable term upon election. The Vice Chair shall chair the meetings in the absence of the Chair. In the event that the Chair cannot fulfill his/her term, the Vice Chair will step in to fulfill the role of Chair for the remainder of the Vice Chair’s term. In his/her capacity as acting Chair, the Vice Chair may appoint, from among actively participating members, an interim Vice Chair for the remainder of the Vice Chair’s term. Every year, at the time of new member recruitment, members will be given nomination forms for the position of Vice Chair. To qualify to be nominated for Vice Chair, a member must have served on the Planning Committee for at least one year within the last five years and have been actively participating through attendance at both Planning Committee and Work Group meetings. Members may nominate themselves or other Planning Committee members. Nominations will be open throughout the period of membership recruitment. All nominees will be contacted to ascertain their interest in serving as Vice Chair. The names of all nominees who agree to have their names brought forward will be presented to the full membership prior to the meeting at which the membership slate is approved. The election of the Vice Chair from among those nominated will take place at the same meeting as the approval of the membership slate. III. Attendance and Participation Although a quorum is constituted by 50 percent of the current membership, members are expected to attend all Planning Committee meetings, or arrange for an alternate to attend. All member(s) and their alternate(s) must sign the attendance roster provided for each Planning Committee meeting and each Work Group meeting. ABSENCES Members may be absent from no more than three (3) consecutive Planning Committee meetings or three (3) consecutive Work Group meetings. To be considered absent from a meeting, neither the member nor his/her alternate would be present. After the second consecutive absence, the Planning Committee staff may contact the absent member. After the third consecutive absence, a letter will be sent from staff to the appointee notifying him/her of his/her termination from the Planning Committee. Termination from the Planning Committee does not prohibit participation as a guest. Exceptions to this termination process are members who have been specifically appointed by the Board of Supervisors or by the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools. In these cases,


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Planning Committee staff will contact staff of the Board Office or the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools to recommend termination and to consult with them. WORK GROUP PARTCIPATION Participation in at least one (1) Work Group is required of all members. All members must choose their Work Group by the second Planning Committee meeting following the orientation of new members. Failure to attend any Work Group by the third Planning Committee meeting following the orientation meeting will be recorded as an absence. A member may change his/her Work Group by notifying the staff of the Planning Committee and the Chair(s) of the Work Group, which he/she is leaving. In order to remain on the Planning Committee, a member or his/her alternate can miss no more than three (3) consecutive meetings of the Work Group. (Please see Absence provision.) Work Group participation is open to any interested individuals regardless of membership status. However, the Governance Work Group is limited to only members and alternates. IV. Voting QUORUM For the purposes of voting, a quorum will be deemed to be 50 percent of the current membership. ACTION ITEMS Action Items are routine or extraordinary actions or decisions related to the functions and purposes of the Planning Committee that require a vote of approval from the Planning Committee. Approval of Planning Committee minutes are action items at each meeting. Changes to Planning Committee structure or to the Policies and Procedures are action items. A vote must be taken by the Planning Committee on items that are child care policy positions, or are related to the mandated functions of the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee will take action on the following mandated functions: 1) service priorities for State-funded child development services; 2) Countywide Needs Assessment; 3) Centralized Eligibility List;1 and 4) a comprehensive countywide plan for child care and development services. All action items must be listed on the publicly posted agenda at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled meeting date (see Brown Act Provision). Action items initiated by Work Groups must be forwarded to staff at least two (2) weeks before the date of the meeting on which agenda the action item should appear.

1 Funding for countywide centralized waiting lists (CEL) was eliminated from the 2011-12 State budget. Nevertheless, references to the CEL remain in statute.


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ROLE OF WORK GROUPS Work Groups are formed to conduct the business of the Planning Committee, implement the Strategic Plan for Child Care and Development, and fulfill other mandates for Local Planning Councils as stated in the Education Code. In the course of its efforts, a Work Group of the Planning Committee may develop a policy, make a recommendation, plan an event requiring Planning Committee resources, or seek to ensure Planning Committee representation in other groups. The full Planning Committee must be informed of the decisions and recommendations of each Work Group. The full Planning Committee may request that a particular policy statement or activity be presented to the Planning Committee for approval. The following types of action, including but not limited to recommendations for positions on legislation, for changes in the Policies and Procedures, and for activities requiring substantial expenditure of Planning Committee funds, will be brought before the full Planning Committee for a vote. This applies to both standing and ad hoc Work Groups. CONFLICT OF INTEREST No member of the Planning Committee will participate in a vote if he/she has a proprietary interest in the outcome. For the purpose of this provision, a person with a proprietary interest is defined as one who may benefit financially from a decision of the Planning Committee; or who is employed by, acts as a paid consultant to, or functions in a decision-making capacity with any agency, which stands to gain directly and financially from an action of the Planning Committee. In case of a potential conflict, the member (or alternate) must refrain from participating in the discussion of the issue after they publicly identify their interest and must recuse themselves from any vote taken on the issue. Before discussion and voting, members will be reminded of their responsibility to assess the potential for conflict of interest. Members are required to declare their affiliations on the membership application. In case of challenge, the membership applications will be reviewed. VOTING ON MOTIONS Each member of the Planning Committee shall be entitled to one vote on each action item before the Planning Committee. If the member is absent, the alternate to the Planning Committee may vote in the place of the member. There will be no secret ballots or absentee voting on any Planning Committee action items, including election of officers. The Chair, or any other member, may request a roll call vote on specific motions. A record of roll call votes shall be kept by Planning Committee staff and be included in the minutes. A motion will be considered as “passed” when a simple majority of the members present vote in the affirmative. Abstentions are not considered votes and are therefore not counted as support for the motion. A motion which results in a tie vote does not pass. V. Staff Selection At the time that a new staff position opens or a current position becomes available in the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education, and these positions work directly with the Planning Committee, a representative of the Planning Committee will be part of the interview panel for each position. Members of the Governance Work Group will serve as the pool from which members will be called upon to serve on interview panels. The Chair of the Planning


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Committee has the discretion to serve on interview panels or can call for additional or alternate representation as needed from among active Planning Committee members. VI. Complaint Procedure Any complaint by a member of the Planning Committee or any other person regarding any action, policy, or procedure of the Planning Committee may be addressed through the following steps: 1) The complaint/concern should be brought to the attention of the Planning Committee staff

in writing. The staff will respond to the complaint and/or provide a response to the complaining party within 14 working days.

2) If the staff is unable to resolve the complaint, the written complaint will be forwarded to the

Governance Work Group for review. The Work Group will review the complaint and may or may not, at the Work Group’s discretion, meet with the complaining party. The Work Group will respond to the complaint within 30 calendar days from receipt of the written complaint.

3) If the Work Group’s response is not satisfactory to the complaining party, he/she may

submit the complaint to the Board of Supervisors and County Superintendent of Schools for a response.

VII. Amendments to the Policies and Procedures Amendments to this document can be considered at any time by members of the Planning Committee or as the result of periodic review by the Governance Work Group. Members of the Planning Committee may submit a written inquiry regarding the Policies and Procedures to the Co-chairs of the Governance Work Group at any time. The Work Group will review each written inquiry and issue a written response within thirty (30) days of receipt of the inquiry. All written inquiries and their disposition will be recorded in the Governance Work Group’s report to the full Planning Committee. The Governance Work Group will review the Policy and Procedures every two years to determine if clarification or changes are required. The Governance Work Group may develop an amendment or new policy language and bring it forward to the full Planning Committee as an action item at any time. VIII. Compliance with Brown Act The Planning Committee will comply with the Brown Act. All Planning Committee meetings are open to the general public. Agendas for Planning Committee meetings will be posted publicly three (3) days prior to the meeting. No action item will be undertaken at any Planning Committee meeting unless it has been listed on the publicly posted agenda.


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Adopted by the Committee: July 1, 1998 Updated: December 4, 2002 Updated: April 4, 2003 Updated: March 6, 2004 Updated: March 11, 2005 Updated: June 1, 2005 Updated: May 3, 2006 Updated: December 3, 2008 Updated: December 1, 2010 Updated: May 2, 2012 Updated: November 5, 2014 Reviewed without changes: September 20, 2016 Updated: September 5, 2018 Reviewed without changes: May 14, 2020


A UNIFIED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION 2020-2025

1

A Unified Strategic Planfor Early Careand Education 2020

-2025

County of Los Angeles


2

Office for the Advancement of Early Care and EducationDepartment of Public Health – Health Promotion Bureau

600 South Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 800, Los Angeles, California 90005Office: (213) 639-6202 • Fax: (213) 639-1034

childcare.lacounty.gov

January 2020

Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed.Director, Department of Public Health

Deborah Allen, ScDDeputy Director, Health Promotion Bureau

Debra Colman, MSWDirector, Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education

Michele P. Sartell, MSWChild Care Planning Coordinator, Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Hilda L. SolisFirst District

Mark Ridley-ThomasSecond District

Sheila KuehlThird District

Janice HahnFourth District

Kathryn BargerFifth District

https://childcare.lacounty.gov/


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Dear Colleagues,

The early care and education system in Los Angeles County supports the optimal development of children aged birth to five years old, as well as children up to age 13 in before and after school programs. These services are critical to our economy, supporting parents and caregivers while they work, and preparing children for kindergarten entry with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in school and life.

Under the leadership of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH), the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE) convened the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development (Roundtable) and the Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee) to lead a collaborative planning process involving nearly 100 stakeholders. The result of this effort is the County’s first unified plan for early care and education, which will guide the work of the OAECE, the Roundtable, and the Planning Committee under one vision, one mission, and with a single unified voice.

We are excited to present the 2020-202S·County of Los Angeles Unified Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education. The plan outlines four strategic priorities:

• Access - Increase access to early care and education services for children birth to five years of age and out of school care for children up to age thirteen.

• Quality - Strengthen the quality of early care and education services, especially for children and families most in need.

• Workforce - Improve the compensation and qualifications of the early care and education workforce.

• Families and Communities - Increase engagement of parents, caregivers and communities on early care and education issues.

Making progress on these strategic priorities will require continued collaboration among all aspects of the early care and education system as well as new partnerships with non-traditional partners and allies. By joining forces under this unified plan, we can achieve the vision that children are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life.

Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director Los Angeles County Department to Public Health

Debra Colman, Director Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education

Jackie Majors, ChairPolicy Roundtable for Child Care and Development

Julie Taren, Chair Child Care Planning Committee


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The Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education is deeply grateful to the partners and community members who contributed their time, energy and expertise to the development of this plan. Key among these were members of the Child Care Planning Committee and the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development who came together as the Strategic Planning Workgroup1 to review and synthesize input from multiple sources as the basis for this plan. This work laid the foundation for unified leadership to improve early care and education for children across Los Angeles County.

Child Care Planning Committee – FY 2018-20

Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development – FY 2018-19

Los Angeles County Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education

Christina AcostaNorma AmezcuaRanae AmezquitaAlejandra BerrioMallika BhandarkarTonya BurnsJessica ChangLindsey EvansTeresa FiguerasMona FrancoAngela GrayLa Tanga HardyTara HenriquezAlexandra Himmel*Antoinette Isaacs

Andrea JosephAolelani LutuRitu Mahajan, J.D.Valerie MarquezCyndi McAuley Melissa NoriegaKelly O’Connell*Daniel OroscoLaurel ParkerDianne Philibosian, Ph.D. *Daniel PolancoNellie Ríos-Parra, Chair*Ricardo RiveraJoyce Robinson*Reiko Sakuma

Ernesto SaldañaAncelma SanchezMariana SanchezKathy Schreiner*JoAnn Shalhoub-MejiaMichael ShannonSarah SorianoAndrea SulsonaJulie Taren, Vice Chair*Veronica TorresJenny TrickeyLauren Trosclair DuncanMaria VeraDelia Vicente

Jeannette AguirreMaria CalixEllen Cervantes*Karen ChangDawn A. Kurtz, Ph.D.Sharoni Little, Ph.D.Jackie Majors, Vice Chair*Fran Chasen

Richard Cohen, Ph.D.*Kalene GilbertRobert Gilchick, M.D., M.P.H.*Jacquelyn McCroskey, D.S.W.*Ofelia Medina*Terry Ogawa, Chair*Jennifer Hottenroth, Ph.D.Karla Pleitéz Howell, J.D.

Dean Tagawa, Ph.D.Boris E. Villacorta Faith ParduchoNurhan PirimNellie Ríos-Parra*Keesha Woods

Marghot CarabaliElizabeth CasprowitzDebra ColmanRenatta CooperLain LoureiroMichele P. Sartell *Claudia ValleErica Weiss

Special thanks to the generous support of the First 5 LA and The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

Strategic Plan Consultant TeamMaura Harrington Rogerro, MBA, PhD, Lead

Consultant, Center for Nonprofit ManagementChristina Newkirk, Center for Nonprofit

ManagementKatie Fallin Kenyon, Ph.D., Kenyon ConsultingLaura Valles, Laura Valles and Associates

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1 Strategic Planning Workgroup members are denoted by *.


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Executive Summary ............................... 6

Introduction and Background ..............7

The Planning Process ............................ 8

Office for the Advancement ................ 9of Early Care and Educationas a Change Agent

Strategic Priorities .............................. 10

Implementation Planning ................... 14

Appendix ...............................................15A) Guiding Principles

TABLE OF CONTENTS


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Early care and education can be a cornerstone for a child’s healthy development and future well-being. So they can thrive, all children deserve access to high-quality early learning environments to support their growth and development. Quality early care and education programs offer nurturing and stimulating environments that contribute to a child’s optimal physical, social-emotional, linguistic, and cognitive development. For working families, child care is also an essential resource that enables parents and caregivers to remain in the workforce. To ensure that all children have access to high-quality early care and education, the Los Angeles County Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE), under the leadership of the Department of Public Health (DPH) and in partnership with the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development (Roundtable) and the Child Care Planning Committee (Planning Committee), presents the County of Los Angeles Unified Strategic Plan for Early Care and Education – 2020-2025 (the Plan).

A Unified Approach

Serving approximately 650,000 Los Angeles children under age 5, the early care and education system is a complex and disconnected matrix of services. Recently, support for our youngest children has risen as a priority issue with elevated political attention and increased public investment. This critical moment in time provides an opportunity to shift how early care and education is approached in Los Angeles County. The Plan was developed through

an innovative collaborative process involving almost 100 stakeholders including OAECE staff, Roundtable members , and Planning Committee members. The Plan documents shifts in the early care and education landscape, the history of each of three entities that developed the Plan, and the twelve-month process that brought unique perspectives together under a common vision. The Plan also uplifts OAECE as the Los Angeles County early care and education office and the transformative role it can serve as an educator, convener, data manager, strategist and advocate.

Strategic Priorities

As a north star for Los Angeles County early care and education efforts, the Plan offers a guiding framework for the OAECE, Roundtable, Planning Committee, and other stakeholders with four focus strategic areas : 1) access to early care and education, 2) early care and education quality, 3) early care and education workforce supports, and 4) family and community engagement in early care and education issues.

Implementation Planning

The four strategic priorities define a direction for early care and

education systems and the Plan provides a starting place

for collaborative work. A full implementation

framework identifying specific activities in each of the four strategic areas, and the assumptions, tasks, roles, timeline, and resources required to achieve them will be completed by June 2020.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


7INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2 Child Care Planning Committee. The State of Early Care and Education in Los Angeles County – Los Angeles County: Child Care Planning Committee 2017 Needs Assessment Executive Summary. March 2017.

3 California Budget Project. (2012). Falling Behind: The Impact of the Great Recession and the Budget Crisis on California’s Women and Their Families.

4 See ocp.lacounty.gov/Portals/OCP/PDF/OCP%20Strategic%20Plan%20and%20Progress%20Updates/2016-10-20%20OCP%20Strategic%20Plan%202016-2021.pdf?ver=2018-10-23-170532-757.

Early care and education programs support the care and development of children birth to five years old, as well as out of school care for children to age 12. Program providers may include school districts, early care and education centers, licensed family child care homes, and family, friends, and neighbors who provide care. Across Los Angeles County, many families struggle to find services for their children that are high-quality and affordable. The average annual cost of child care is $10,303 per preschooler in center-based care and $8,579 per preschooler in family child care2. During the recession, early care and education programs subsidized by the State of California for low-income families experienced budget reductions totaling $1.5 billion3 impacting families with the greatest need. Over the past few years, modest increases have restored some funds to the subsidized system, although a substantial gap between funding and need remains.

State and Local Priorities

Most recently, attention at state and local levels to the importance of the early years has generated new public investments. Contributing to this momentum, the California Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education released its final report in April 2019 with a list of recommendations that called for significant funding and systems change. The 2019-2020 California Budget includes $5 million for a Master Plan for Early Learning and Care, $245 million for grants to child care and preschool providers for facilities expansions, and $195 million for early learning and care workforce development grants.

Locally, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (Board) lobbied successfully for State investment in the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Children in Foster Care. The Board also instructed the Chief Executive Office – Homeless Initiative to identify strategies to connect families experiencing homelessness with early care and education services and mandated the Chief Executive Office, in consultation with the Roundtable and the OAECE, to identify county-owned properties that could provide space for early care and education programming. Further local support is the identification of access to quality early care and education as a critical strategy for the prevention of child abuse and neglect as highlighted in the LA County’s Office for Child

Protection’s (OCP) Countywide Child Protection Strategic Plan – 2016-214.

In Los Angeles County, responsibility for harnessing this new energy to create an early care and education system that meets child and family needs rests with three entities, the Planning Committee, the Roundtable and the OAECE housed within the DPH Health Promotion Bureau.

Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education

In 2000, the Los Angeles County Office of Child Care (OCC), the predecessor of the OAECE, was established under the Chief Executive Office (CEO) to address the child care needs of Los Angeles County employees and to staff a state-mandated local child care and development planning council (Planning Committee). Soon after the establishment of the Planning Committee, the Board called for the founding of the Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development to focus on early care and education policy and systems improvement. Management of both the Planning Committee and the Roundtable were assigned to OCC. In 2001, the role of the OCC expanded to workforce professional development with the Investing in the Early Educators Stipend Program, followed by the California Transitional Kindergarten Stipend Program (CTKSP). OCC developed and implemented the Steps to Excellence Program (STEP), a quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) in 2007. Although OCC no longer leads a QRIS program, it continues to influence quality practices as a part of Quality Start Los Angeles. OCC changed its name to OAECE in 2016 and transitioned to DPH in 2018. The move to DPH reflected recognition of the vital role that early care and education plays in child development, family well-being and community health.

http://ocp.lacounty.gov/Portals/OCP/PDF/OCP%20Strategic%20Plan%20and%20Progress%20Updates/2016-10-20%20OCP%20Strategic%20Plan%202016-2021.pdf?ver=2018-10-23-170532-757


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Strategic planning was launched in the fall of 2018 by the OAECE in partnership with the Planning Committee and the Roundtable, Funding from First 5 LA supported the Center for Nonprofit Management to facilitate the planning process. The proposal to bring these entities together to develop a unified plan demonstrates a recognition across all participating bodies that working together is a tremendous step toward a more cohesive system in Los Angeles County.

Values and Guidelines

Early in their work together, the three participant entities articulated a set of values to inform the planning process. They agreed that the process would 1) embrace a deliberate focus on equity, 2) inspire collaboration and partnerships with community stakeholders and meaningful engagement of authentic family and parent voices, 3) be trauma-informed, 4) promote policy and systems change, and 5) use data to inform planning and advocacy. These values informed the development of a set of guidelines that were intentionally aligned with the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education’s approved principles. The guidelines served as a framework for the identification of strategic priority

areas and strategies. These guidelines focus on access, equity, quality, workforce, families, financing, targeted investments, data and advocacy. Going forward, the guidelines will be used to evaluate potential tactics and the crafting of implementation activities. To learn more about the guidelines, please see Appendix A.

One Vision, One Mission

The strategic planning process entailed review of the intersecting mission statements of the OAECE, Planning Committee, and Roundtable to arrive at the following united vision and mission statements:

VISIONChildren are healthy, thriving and have equitable opportunities to achieve optimal development and succeed in life.

MISSIONLead, build, and strengthen an affordable and high-quality early care and education system for the children and families in Los Angeles County.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

THE PLANNING PROCESS

Child Care Planning Committee

The Child Care Planning Committee is Los Angeles County’s state mandated Local Child Care and Development Planning Council (LPC) funded by the California Department of Education (CDE). Established as the County’s LPC in 1991, the Child Care Planning Committee is staffed by OAECE and is composed of 50 members including parents/consumers, early educators, board appointees and representatives of public agencies, community-based organizations, higher education, and resource and referral agencies. The State requires the Planning Committee to conduct county-wide planning to address access to quality, affordable early care and education.

Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development

The Roundtable, established in 2000, is a Board of Supervisors appointed body composed of 25 community leaders in early childhood, education, business, economics, and research and representatives

of County Departments including Child and Family Services, Mental Health, Probation, Public

Health, Public Social Services, and Parks and Recreation. The Roundtable is

staffed by OAECE and charged with developing policy recommendations for elevation to the Board of Supervisors, advising County departments on early care and education programs, and identifying strategies to secure, coordinate, and maximize funding for high quality services.


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With the shared vision and mission as the foundation, the OAECE, Roundtable and Planning Committee will implement the 2020-2025 strategic plan through a united effort managed by OAECE. As the Los Angeles County early care and education office, OAECE has a unique mandate to promote systems change through the advancement of new policy and program initiatives, based on the work of its collaborating partners. The strategic plan highlights the mandate of OAECE as an agent of policy and systems change through five primary roles.

Educator: It is the job of OAECE to inform partners, advise key stakeholders and publicly promote the importance of quality early care and education to support the well-being of children, strengthen families and help communities thrive.

Convener: The plan will require OAECE to convene and nurture committees, commissions and task forces to act as agents of change in early care and education policy and systems planning.

Data Manager: Reflecting the shared value noted above, it will be the task of OAECE to gather, organize, manage, and disseminate data related to family needs, system capacity, program quality and child and family outcomes to shape effective strategies and strengthen early childhood systems.

Strategist: Drawing on data, OAECE will be called upon to conceptualize, design, and implement innovative programmatic, policy, and systems change strategies.

Advocate: To assure implementation of system improvements, OAECE will need to mobilize and support advocacy for public policies (legislative and administrative) that build and strengthen the early care and education system in Los Angeles County.

OFFICE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OFEARLY CARE AND EDUCATION AS A CHANGE AGENT


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5 Child Care Planning Committee. The State of Early Care and Education in Los Angeles County – Los Angeles County: Child Care Planning Committee 2017 Needs Assessment Executive Summary. March 2017. See childcare.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ECE-Needs-Assessment_Executive-Brief-03-30-2017.pdf.

6 Schweinhart, L.J., Montie, J., Zongping, X, Barnett, W.S., Belfield, C.R., & Nores, M. Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study Through Age 40 (pp. 194–215). Ypsilanti, MI:High/Scope Press. © 2005 by High/Scope® Educational Research Foundation.

The 2020–2025 strategic priorities will guide collective efforts of the OAECE, Roundtable, and Planning Committee over the next five years. Grounded in the Planning Committee’s 2017 needs assessment entitled The State of Early Care and Education in Los Angeles County,5 the priorities focus on 1) access to early care and education, 2) early care and education quality, 3) early care and education workforce supports, and 4) family and community engagement on early care and education issues. The paragraphs that follow provide a brief preview of each of the priorities and one example of the kinds of activities under each strategy that will be expanded upon in the implementation stage of planning.

Priority 1: Access

The early years are a critical period in human development. The foundation that is built through a child’s participation in quality early care and education is associated with positive economic, educational and social impacts lasting well into adulthood6, benefitting both the individual child, family and larger community. Unfortunately, many families in Los Angeles County do not have access to affordable, quality early care and education. There are approximately 650,000 children under five in Los Angeles County, but only 206,830 spaces in licensed centers and family child care. The 2017 early care and education needs assessment highlighted challenges like a shortage of infant and toddler care, the decline in family child care homes, increased participation in transitional kindergarten, and the high cost of child care.

Goal 1: Increase access to early care and education services for children birth to five years of age and out of school care for children to age twelve.

Strategies:

1.1: Reduce barriers and maximize resources to expand early care and education services to centers and family child care homes, prioritizing infants and toddlers, high-need families, and under resourced communities.

•ExampleActivity - Finalize and promote a toolkit that helps early care and education providers navigate the facility development system including licensing, zoning, fire, and public health.

1.2: Advocate for funding to build or upgrade early care and education centers and family child care homes.

•ExampleActivity – Develop a cross-sector advocacy strategy for facilities funding and for tackling barriers to facility development.

1.3: Lead the analysis of data on the needs of Los Angeles County families for early care and education services and share with stakeholders to inform local planning and increased early learning investments.

•ExampleActivity – Launch an on- line dashboard to inform the public about the supply and demand of Los Angeles County early care and education services.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

https://childcare.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ECE-Needs-Assessment_Executive-Brief-03-30-2017.pdf

https://childcare.lacounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ECE-Needs-Assessment_Executive-Brief-03-30-2017.pdf


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Priority 2: Quality

Every parent should have the opportunity to enroll their child in a high-quality early care and education program. Research shows that there is a relationship between early care and education quality and children’s academic achievement, as well as language and cognitive development.7 To increase the quality of care, initiatives like Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) have emerged across the country. Locally, Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA)8 has led the way in strengthening a county-wide quality improvement system. While QRIS is an approach to incentivize and support quality improvement, it is just one strategy on a continuum of quality improvement supports which may include teacher-focused efforts like training; setting-focused efforts like facilities grants; family-focused efforts like educating parents about quality; and systems level efforts which focus on setting and meeting standards.9

Goal 2: Strengthen the quality of early care and education services, especially for children and families most in need.

Strategies:

2.1: Partner with local quality improvement efforts to provide input, inform and influence quality improvement efforts.

•ExampleActivity – Launch a campaign in partnership with the Quality Start LA to promote what quality looks like in a program.

2.2: Advocate for increased quality improvement investments for all providers including centers, family child care, and family, friends, and neighbor care.

•ExampleActivity – Elevate quality improvement policy recommendations to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Roundtable.

2.3: Leverage data from local quality improvement efforts to publicly promote the importance of quality care.

•ExampleActivity – Release a “True Cost of Quality Care” infographic based on the Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis funding model.

2.4: Promote integration across early childhood services and develop strategies that connect early childhood education with other child/family support systems.

•ExampleActivity – Create a handbook that helps parents navigate early childhood services such as early care and education, home visitation, developmental screenings, early childhood mental health consultation, kindergarten transition, library services, and parks and recreation.

7 Jeon, L. & Buettner, C.K. (2014). Quality rating and improvement systems and children’s cognitive development. Child Youth Care Forum, 44, 191-207. Doi: 10.1007/s10566-014-9277-7.

8 Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) is a voluntary quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) designed to help parents of children birth to five choose the best early childhood education for their family.

9 Boller, K., Tarrant, K. & Schaack, D.D. (2014). Early Care and Education Quality Improvement: A Typology of Intervention Approaches. OPRE Research Report #2014-36. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.



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10 Saracho, O.N. & Spodek, B. (2007). Early childhood teachers’ preparation and the quality of program outcomes. Early Child Development and Care, 177 (1), 71-91. Doi: 10.1080/03004430500317366.


Priority 3: Workforce

The quality of early learning programs for children is intrinsically connected to the early care and education workforce. Given the importance of a workforce armed with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to achieve quality care, the Plan elevates workforce as a separate priority, rather than just a component of the quality priority discussed above. Numerous studies indicate that a well-educated workforce provides children with better quality care resulting in increased developmental gains.10 A key to enhancing the quality of the early care and education system lies in the professionalization of the workforce and a comprehensive professional development pathway comprised of college coursework, training, coaching and mentoring. Unfortunately, the early care and education workforce faces multiple challenges inclusive of low wages, limited education, and barriers to accessing professional development that must be addressed to achieve improved system quality.

Goal 3: Improve the compensation and qualifications of the early care and education workforce.

Strategies:

3.1: Advocate for increased compensation for the early care and education workforce.

•ExampleActivity – Release a policy brief advocating for a single reimbursement rate that incentivizes and compensates for the true cost of quality care.

3.2: Advocate for an efficient, comprehensive statewide data system to track information on the workforce and provide a portal for early educators to access professional development opportunities and build their career profiles.

•ExampleActivity – Integrate the Investing in Early Educators Stipend Program with the Early Care and Education Workforce Registry to reduce duplicated work and increase efficiency in serving the early care and education workforce.

3.3: Reduce barriers to professional development opportunities.

•ExampleActivity – Build a one-stop website that seamlessly connects Los Angeles County early educators to training opportunities of all kinds.


13STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

11 Primary caregivers include legal guardians, foster parents, and relative caregivers.12 Epstein, J. L. (1987). Toward a theory of family-school connections: Teacher practices and parent involvement. In K. Hurrelmann, F. Kaufman and

F. Loel (Eds.), Social Intervention: Potential and Constraints (pp. 121-136). New York: Walter de Gruyter.

Priority 4: Families and Communities

To build an effective early care and education system in Los Angeles County, it is essential to incorporate the voices of parents, primary caregivers,11 and communities. Children learn and grow in the context of overlapping spheres of influence,12 so it is critical to build effective and reciprocal partnerships among early care and education programs, families, and communities. A key component for effective systems changes lies in authentically engaging parents, understanding the early care and education issues they face day to day, and inviting them to be partners in developing solutions.

Goal 4: Increase engagement of parents, caregivers and communities on early care and education issues.

Strategies:

4.1: Assure parent and caregiver access to research findings on early care and education issues.

•ExampleActivity – Release family-friendly materials that promote the importance of early care and education by collaborating with allies like Resource and Referral agencies.

4.2: Empower and mobilize families as advocates for early care and education resources.

•ExampleActivity – Launch an early care and education campaign that advances the authentic parent voice through parent testimonials.

4.3: Engage parents, families and community members as thought partners on early care and education issues through events and committees.

•ExampleActivity – Establish a parent/caregiver workgroup as a part of the Planning Committee to inform and influence early care and education planning across Los Angeles County.


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While this initial strategic plan will guide the direction of OAECE, the Planning Committee and the Roundtable over the next five years, the plan is very broad. Animplementation plan, to be completed by June 2020, will bring the strategic priorities to life. Throughout the strategic planning process, OAECE has garnered a wealth of information that will inform the development of a comprehensive implementation plan that will identify specific actions needed to accomplish targeted goals. The next phase of the planning process will launch in January 2020 through an all-day input session with parents, early care and education providers, community organizations, public agencies, supervisorial representatives and various Los Angeles County Departments.

The implementation plan will tackle critical issues to guide success including:

• Assumptions: Articulate a clear set of assumptions about factors that shape access, quality, the workforce and family engagement.

• Objectives: Establish clear, measurable objectives for each strategy area.

• Implementation Activities: Develop activities for each of the four priority areas and strategies.

• Roles and Responsibilities: Define the distinct roles and responsibilities of OAECE, the Planning Committee, the Roundtable and other stakeholders within each strategy.

• Timeline: Create an implementation timeline with annual targets for outcomes and milestones for success.

• Resources and Budget: Produce an inventory of fiscal and in-kind resources needed to execute the implementation plan effectively.

If you are interested in participating in implementation planning, please contact the Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education at (213) 639-6202.

IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING


13 Adapted from the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education Principles approved on October 9, 2018. Their principles are posted at speaker.asmdc.org/sites/speaker.asmdc.org/files/pdf/BRC-Principles-Final-120318.pdf.

14 Local stakeholders are inclusive of parents and other primary caregivers (e.g. foster parents, legal guardians and relatives), early educators, institutions of higher education, child care resource and referral agencies, public agencies (i.e. County departments), philanthropy, advocacy organizations, businesses, and others concerned with the optimal well-being of children, families and communities.

The guiding principles, intentionally aligned with the Assembly Blue Ribbon Commission on Early Childhood Education’s approved principles,13 provide direction for the identification of strategic priority areas and preliminary action items. Going forward, the guiding principles will be used to evaluate potential tactics and the crafting of additional action items.

APPENDIX AGuiding Principles

Access: All children and their families should have access to nurturing, educational, culturally, linguistically and developmentally appropriate high-quality early care and education opportunities with a commitment to social, behavioral, cognitive and physical development and continuity of care.

Equity: Equity must inform all decisions and systems and implicit bias must be acknowledged and managed. Policies and systems should affirmatively remove obstacles and barriers for families seeking access to early care and education.

Quality: All families should have access to a variety of high-quality early care and education settings that meet their needs and that are affordable.

Workforce: High quality early care and education requires a competent, effective and well-compensated and professionally supported workforce who reflect the racial, ethnic and linguistic diversity and needs of the children and the families they serve across the various roles and settings.

Families: Early care and education must be integrated with other supports and services that contribute to children’s optimal development, engages and strengthens families, and builds upon the capacity of the workforce.

Financing: High quality early care and education requires leveraging financing that is adequate and sustainable with incentives for quality and targeted investments to ensure equity for children and families with the greatest needs.

Targeted Investments: Efforts are required to maintain services, prioritize areas of need by targeting investments, capitalize in what works, and build upon areas of success.

Data and Advocacy: The County of Los Angeles in partnership with its local stakeholders14 plays a significant role in advocating for legislative and administrative policies and investments informed by robust data and current research to meet the needs of our children and their families. Our work must be transparent, accountable, collaborative, and committed to equity, continuous improvement and responsive to emerging needs.

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